Families For Life | Everyday Tips to Keep the Romance Alive

When you've just started dating, everything is fun and romantic. But what happens when you've been together for a while now and things are starting to fall into a dull routine. You might realize that the excitement and spark in your relationship has died down, and life's responsibilities has somehow quelled the passion.

Although life has a way of getting us down with its endless responsibilities and pressures, we have come up with a few tips to keep the spark alive. More importantly, you can easily incorporate these ideas into your busy schedules.

1. Play the Leader

As a couple, the responsibility to plan dates should not just fall on one party. Both sides should take the initiative to court the other person, even in a long-term relationship. It also gives each person a chance to choose an activity that they enjoy doing. It can even be as simple as choosing to spend time at home while watching a movie. The idea is that the "leader" gets to decide and plan everything about the date, down to the movie in question and even the snacks! The "follower" then has to sit through the date obediently without objections. Come next week, the roles will be switched and the new "leader" gets to plan the date. You can do this as many times in a week as possible, but if time and energy is limited, try it out at least once a week.

2. Do Chores Together

Nobody likes chores, but doing it together can make it a tad bit more fun as well as cut the time spent on chores down to half! Washing dishes while sharing your day with your partner, or folding the laundry while watching your favourite sitcom together can be small changes that will inevitably make chores seem that much more fun. More importantly, using these small pockets of time in your day to bond with your partner can help you feel closer to each other. You might even grow to look forward to chore time!

3. Split the Job

If you simply do not have the luxury of time and energy to treat chores as bonding time, how about dividing and conquering! Make a list of everything that needs to be done, split the list and choose your battles! Lastly, have a friendly competition to see who finishes it the quickest and don't forget to reward yourselves after everything has been done. This works to strengthen the teamwork between you and your partner. By listing down the challenges to be completed and working through the list together, you reinforce the idea that you and your partner make a good team and can storm through the obstacles that life throws at you.

4. Supermarket Dates

Turn your grocery runs into something that both of you look forward to! Instead of reaching for the usual stuff, try looking around for some items that you don't normally reach for. Grab some interesting food products and try to whip up something new for dinner. Visit a new grocery store once in a while to spice it up a little. You can even make a list of the essentials to purchase, split it in half, and have a competition to see who ticks off their list first.

5. Take a Timeout From Your Kids

Once children come along, many couples find that their lives revolve around their kids. However, it is important to spend time together as a couple as well. Set a time to check in with each other about your adult lives without any talk about your kids, even if it is just for five minutes. Remember that you have a responsibility to your partner as much as you do to your kids. After all, a strong partnership only serves to foster stronger family ties.

6. Find Your Thing

Some couples jog together, some couples Netflix together, other couples cook together. Find something that you and your other half enjoy doing together. It doesn't have to be exciting or romantic; it can be mundane and pedestrian, as long as you both enjoy doing it together and can bond over it. You and your partner will grow to look forward to this time of bonding as both of you get to do something you enjoy and spend time with the person you enjoy the most!

Armed with these simple ideas and reminders, go forth and ignite the spark in your relationship once more! Unlock your youthful spirit as you embark on these new adventures in the next phase of your relationship.

This article was first published on Dating Moments.